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Joe Baguley, Vice President and CTO, EMEA, VMWARE

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ESG<meta charset="utf-8">—Environmental, Social, Governance. Everybody is talking about it, and certainly many organisations are acting on it. In 2020, ESG funds <a href="https://www.ii.co.uk/analysis-commentary/investors-put-almost-ps1-billion-month-esg-funds-2020-ii515374">attracted £1 billion a month on average</a> from investors.

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Yet, for many businesses one big issue remains: how to translate their vision for ESG into a tangible strategy?

This is largely due to an information gap—between “what you should do,” “what you actually need to prioritise and why” and “how you can do what’s most important.” There’s an undeniable desire to see business through the lens of ESG but a lack of clarity over how to really get started.

Which is where this new content series—Down to Earth, of which I am honoured to be the first to contribute to—comes in. Along with select colleagues who are leading voices in their respective fields, we are hoping to provide clarity and tangible guidance on how to bridge the gap between aspiration and the reality of making responsible organisational change.

So, what exactly is ESG? To be clear, it is not CSR 2.0. It’s a response to rising pressure from consumers for businesses to commit to and demonstrate their part in driving change to be more sustainable, inclusive and socially responsible. And to do that in a way that is measurable.

And with that in mind, this first piece looks at how to sell the ESG vision to the board and, from there, make it a commercial success. Because, ultimately, it needs to make business sense and deliver commercially to be an intrinsic part of your business.

From my perspective, there are three key steps that you need to take when selling your ESG vision.

Step 1: Be a Leader of Change

There are various stakeholder groups when it comes to ESG—external (investors, customers), internal (board members, employees) and those in between (suppliers, communities). They all have an interest and are impacted by any ESG strategy that a company introduces.

That said, in its simplest form, an ESG programme is a change programme—one that needs to be led from the top. <a href="https://blogs.idc.com/2021/01/22/capitalizing-on-esg-the-business-case-for-sustainability/">Studies have shown</a> that it’s the CEOs and CFOs that are held responsible for ESG strategies today—a big change from previous corporate sustainability initiatives that tended to sit with HR, office managers or particularly passionate employees.

So the first step is to acknowledge the responsibility of leading ESG change at the executive level, and to then build the case for why the board needs to consider this strategically significant. Identify willing and relevant stakeholders within the business, to develop a holistic strategy that represents the passion and needs of the whole business and goes deeper on the practicalities of introducing change. This was exactly the approach we took to develop 30 cross-functional ESG goals to meet by 2030. This is what we call our <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html">2030 Agenda</a>—all of which are a blueprint to achieve three business outcomes of sustainability, equity and trust.

Step 2: Create Your Business Plan

Once the direction is established, your stakeholders will need to be able to see how you can get there.

There is already a huge amount of data and examples publicly available showing why ESG is commercially vital. Take advantage of these, use them to reinforce your conviction and also inform the different tangents of your business plan.

It is a fact, for example, that customer loyalty lies with ESG. VMware research found that more than one in every three consumers (35%) would be willing to pay more for goods or services from a firm that has demonstrated how it is using renewable energy and supporting the transition to net-zero emissions. A further third say they would stop engaging with companies/buying brands if they don’t publicly share their ethical policies.

Investors, meanwhile, are clear that they want to keep investing in “good” and are planning to <a href="https://www.cityam.com/blackrock-sustainable-investments-to-accelerate-in-2021-as-esg-focus-intensifies/">double their allocations</a> to sustainable products over the next five years. Scottish Widows also <a href="https://www.cityam.com/scottish-widows-pulls-440m-from-investments-in-esg-push/">recently announced</a> that it is pulling millions in investment money from companies that don’t meet its ESG standards. As securing support increasingly relies on strong ESG credentials, audit and investigate what genuine proof points you can weave into your plan.

And take inspiration from the trailblazers. Research from McKinsey confirms that the most diverse companies are now more likely than ever to outperform less diverse peers. The return on equity for European listed companies was calculated as <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49638/the_business_case_for_equality_and_diversity.pdf">11.4% compared to 10.3% on average</a> between 2005 and 2007.

Step 3: Don’t Rewrite the Rule Book

We of course can’t all redesign our companies from the ground upwards to be a purely green player. But the truth is that most companies already have an element of ESG in some form or another. So, this is not about blindly hitting CTRL, ALT, DELETE and starting again or shoehorning something new into the business for the sake of it. If it doesn’t feel right for your business today, it won’t likely survive to shape positive change tomorrow.

Rather, this is looking at how to build on current approaches through an ESG lens and working with your select group of internal stakeholders to narrow down a workable list of questions to address. For example:

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Honestly, the main thing is to get started. Patagonia, one of the world’s most well-recognised purposeful brands, <a href="https://www.raconteur.net/corporate-social-responsibility/patagonia-ceo-on-leading-a-company-with-a-cause/">still uses fossil fuels to produce some of the outer shells of its coats</a>. But it is transparent about this and the fact that it is still searching for better ways to produce its products. Customers don’t expect you to be perfect from day one.

This is my rallying cry to you to get started today in evolving the collection of “good” executions that your company likely has in place already to develop a strong, impactful ESG strategy that will deliver commercially.

I hope these tips will act as a starting block to help you launch your company’s own strategy forward. And remember to keep an eye out for further blogs in this series coming soon with more down-to-earth, practical guidance on ESG.

If you’d like to hear more about how we are enabling our customers and partners to achieve their own ESG goals, visit <a></a><a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESG at VMware</a> and also read our<a> </a><a href="http://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/company/vmware-esg-report-2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2021 ESG Report</a>.

How do you sell your ESG vision to the board? VMware's Joe Baguley discusses how businesses can translate vision into a tangible strategy.

How do you sell your ESG vision to the board? VMware's Joe Baguley discusses how businesses can translate their ESG vision into a tangible strategy.

Down to Earth: Is There Really a Commercial Case to Take ESG Seriously?

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Down to Earth: Is There a Commercial Case to Take ESG Seriously?

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Joe Baguley is VMware’s Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for EMEA, joining VMware in July 2011. He helps develop and communicate VMware’s strategy and vision with customers and partners, using his wealth of experience to help organizations reduce costs and better support users and business needs. As part of VMware’s Office of the CTO and its representative in EMEA, Joe assists VMware’s customers in understanding how to use today’s advances in technology to deliver real business impact and plan for disruptive technologies of the future, as well as working with them to inform VMware’s R&amp;D processes. Joe is a recognized leader within the European technical community and is considered one of the world’s most influential IT global leaders, currently positioned 26th on Tenfold’s global list of the top 79 Chief Technology Officers. He speaks regularly at industry events, including The Economist’s Innovation Summit, to the broadcast media, including BBC World News and BBC Talking Business, and appeared in the Computer Weekly UKtech50 and the Information Age Top 50 Data Leaders. He has played a key role in CloudCamp and other events, communicating how cloud technology fits into the broader IT landscape. Joe previously spent 10 years at Quest Software where he was CTO of EMEA, shaping its direction and strategy. He is a member of VMware’s Executive Sustainability Council, a formalized component of the company’s Corporate Sustainability Strategy to provide insight and oversight, and to drive cross-company initiatives. In addition, Joe is also on several advisory boards at the European Commission and ETSI and is a founding committee member of the Data Centre Specialist Group at the British Computer Society, which helped shape the European Code of Conduct for Data Centres. Joe is based in the U.K. with a remit across Europe, Middle East and Africa.

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Joe Baguley

How do you sell your #ESG vision to the board? @VMware VP & CTO EMEA @JoeBaguley discusses how businesses can translate their ESG vision into a tangible strategy. #VMware2030

VMware has been recognized by JUST Capital, along with its media partner CNBC, in its annual <a href="https://justcapital.com/companies/vmware-inc">JUST 100</a>, a comprehensive ranking of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and stakeholder performance.

VMware was named one of America’s Most JUST Companies—the fifth consecutive year the company has been awarded for its commitment to serving its employees, customers, partners, shareholders and communities.

VMware ranked number one overall in the environment category, leading all companies in the JUST 100 in sustainable products and pollution reduction, and achieved high scores in climate change and resource efficiency.

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VMware achieved exceptional scores in multiple areas, including employee investment and community support. The company scored the top ranking across all industries in both <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html">diversity, equity, and inclusion</a> and transparent communication. VMware also scored a Top 6 ranking in benefits and work-life balance. The company ranked within the software industry’s Top 10 in worker health and safety, community development, local job creation, and beneficial products.

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For their annual rankings, JUST collects and analyzes corporate data to evaluate the 1,000 largest public U.S. companies across 20 stakeholder-focused Issues as identified through the most comprehensive ongoing public opinion research on Americans’ attitudes toward responsible corporate behavior, engaging more than 150,000 participants since 2015.

In addition to JUST Capital’s recognition, VMware was recently recognized for ESG leadership with its invitation to be a member of the <a href="https://news.vmware.com/releases/vmware-recognized-dow-jones-sustainability-indices">2021 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI)</a>, one of the world’s leading ESG benchmarks, for the second consecutive year.

VMware is building a more sustainable, equitable and secure future by integrating ESG goals across the company and aligning them with its core business strategy. These goals are reflected in the company’s 2030 Agenda, a decade-long ESG commitment and call to action to build a world in which its technology will make a positive impact on all its stakeholders. Learn <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html">more</a> about ESG at VMware.

This article may contain hyperlinks to non-VMware websites that are created and maintained by third parties who are solely responsible for the content on such websites.

VMware was named one of America’s Most JUST Companies for the fifth consecutive year and this year was awarded the top environment ranking.

We’re honored to be a #JUST100 leader and ranked number one in the environment category by @justcapitalfoundation @CNBC.

VMware Named One of America’s Most JUST Companies for 5th Consecutive Year, Awarded Top Environmental Ranking

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VMware Named One of America’s Most JUST Companies

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cbruce@vmware.com

We're proud to be recognized for our #ESG leadership with the top environment ranking in the 2022 #JUST100 by @justcapital_ and @CNBC. #vmware2030

Once you see inequity, there’s no way to unsee it. The first time I really understood this was during my first year at the University of California, Berkeley. College in America was a culture shock—so different from the life I’d left behind in Johannesburg, South Africa. But what surprised me most was just how much my classmates knew of and cared about what was going on back home.

Berkeley had been at the center of America’s anti-apartheid movement in the 1980s, with protests held on Sproul Plaza against South Africa’s racial segregation policy. I had spent my entire life up until that point in Johannesburg, and I had never really grappled with the injustice playing out in my own country. Going to Berkeley rocked my world view.

I had grown up in a bubble. And by the next time I returned to South Africa, that bubble had burst. I saw my homeland through new eyes. I still loved my country—but I now understood the systemic injustice for what it was. How it needed to change. And how I needed to change with it too.

That experience taught me that inequity thrives in darkness and misinformation. It feeds off fear. It is amplified by systems of all kinds. So when people ask me why equity is important to me and why it plays such a prominent role in VMware’s <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html">2030 Agenda</a>, the answer is simple: because it has to. Because combating inequity is a shared responsibility. Because there is no such thing as a sustainable future without an equitable future.

Equity, of course, comes in different shapes and forms. It can be a complex concept with multiple dimensions. VMware’s own origin story can be traced back to one such dimension: digital equity. Our co-founders laid out a simple vision: that our technology free people and businesses from the digital constraints holding them back from reaching their full potential.

VMware’s approach to equity today is rooted in this simple idea. And today we’re going much further by striving to embed equity into every part of our business, from the products we make to the outcomes we create for all our stakeholders.

Our efforts span from the individual to the organization and industry. It starts with creating a diverse and inclusive work environment that allows every person in our organization to feel a sense of belonging and part of a community. Creating this environment is a collective effort that we empower every employee to take part in. For example, our numerous <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html">geographic- and identity-based employee groups</a> called PODs (Power of Difference) help to connect, network and grow our diverse community of leaders.

Responsibility also spans to the team. One of the most profound insights I gained from our very first diversity training at VMware was that unconscious biases are part of the human condition. Even when you recognize them and work to combat them, they can be persistent. As leaders we therefore must create systems that short circuit these biases to drive more equitable outcomes in our teams. This is where VMware is concentrating a lot of our efforts, particularly when it comes to how we recruit, hire and promote people.

Expanding outward, we have commitments to driving equity as an organization and within our industry. As a big company that makes a lot of purchasing decisions each year—and by prioritizing supplier diversity through our <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/responsible-sourcing.html">Responsible Sourcing</a> program—we can intervene in the procurement system and direct our dollars to have an impact in our communities. As part of our 2030 Agenda, for example, we have committed to spending a cumulative $1.5 billion with diverse suppliers by 2030.

At the product level, we’re making equity a desired outcome for our solutions by focusing on accessibility. And at an industry level, our technology like <a href="https://www.vmware.com/solutions/anywhere-workspace.html">Anywhere Workspace</a> solutions are supporting social equity by enabling people to work where and how they choose and access greater opportunities through remote and distributed work.

Finally, we recognize that technology is driving fundamental changes in the world and that it has the potential to serve as a bridge—or as a wedge—between people. That’s why we’ve made the conscious decision to do our part to be a bridge—using our expertise and technology to promote digital access and transformation for communities that need it. We’re doing things like providing students and women returning to the workforce with digital skills training, and helping nonprofits design and build technology that helps them accomplish their missions.

VMware—like all companies and organizations—still has a long way to go before we can achieve true equity. Equity work is a constant practice that requires ongoing learning and action. And even with all the good work we’re doing, we recognize that we most likely still have unconscious biases and areas we could improve. But we are committed to remaining curious—to being part of a community of learning that is constantly asking questions, testing assumptions and striving to get better.

In the end, the only way to make progress against inequity is through dedicated, consistent and collective action. There’s a quote I like from Desmond Tutu, one of the world’s most prominent activists and a key figure in finally ending apartheid. He said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

As I reflect during this time of year, I can say with confidence that people at VMware are doing their little bit of good. There is certainly more to do. And my great hope is that our actions can inspire—and enable—others to do the same.

Why is equity so prominent in our 2030 Agenda? Because there’s no such thing as a sustainable future without an equitable future.

Why is equity so prominent in our 2030 Agenda? Because there’s no sustainable future without an equitable future.

Equity Requires Doing a Little Bit of Good, Wherever You Are

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Equity Requires Doing a Little Bit of Good - VMware News and Stories

Nicola Acutt

Why is #equity so prominent in our #VMware2030 Agenda? Because combatting inequity is a shared responsibility. Because there’s no such thing as a sustainable future without an equitable future. #ESG

I truly believe that the vast majority of tech firms want to do a better job of supporting workers with diverse needs. DEI initiatives are proliferating across our sector, and not before time.

But when it comes to disability, we are still a long way from true representation.

I’m glad that we’re making progress. In the U.S. for example, VMware's self-identification rate of employees with disabilities is 3.2%, up from 1.8% in 2019. But that’s far short of the U.S. <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/disabl.nr0.htm">population-wide figure of 18%</a>.

Today, on the UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities, it’s time for all of us to ask what we can do to increase the rate of change.

The answer, I believe, is to fundamentally re-frame the way we think about disability in tech.

Inclusion is, of course, a worthy goal in its own right. But bringing more people with disabilities into the workforce shouldn’t just be seen as a noble cause; it’s not something to be bestowed.

The reality is that fostering the inclusion of people with disabilities benefits everyone who works in tech – and, ultimately, gives companies a competitive advantage.

We know, for example, that firms that demonstrate leadership on disability employment and inclusion are outperforming those with more modest achievements in this area.

An <a href="https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/companies-leading-in-disability-inclusion-have-outperformed-peers-accenture-research-finds.htm">Accenture study of 140 US companies</a> participating in the Disability Equality Index found that those in the index’s top tier achieved double the net income and 30% higher economic profit margins over four years than companies ranked lower on the index.

It makes sense: companies that select staff from a larger pool of candidates are likely to enjoy superior outcomes. And as well as raw intellect, people with disabilities may have faced more barriers in life which have led to them developing exceptional grit and determination, which makes them formidable employees.

Meanwhile, end-users are increasingly demanding accessibility from the tech products and services they use.

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I think the biggest innovations in accessible tech are still to come. But I’m happy to say that VMware is already devoting considerable energy to this area.

In 2019, VMware partnered with Singapore’s Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) for an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-KQtj3L7q0">Ideas Hackathon</a> to create an app to help the association’s students tackle the challenges of social, numeracy, and vocational skills, and to make Singapore itself more inclusive.

The winning “Connect Us” pitch aimed to provide a social networking platform for the association’s students, alumni, and potential employers to connect. Further developed by the team with assistance from VMware, it made its debut as the APSNLive app later that year at vFORUM Singapore.

The following year, in February 2020, we kicked off our first-ever Accessibility Week with a summit followed by <a href="https://medium.com/vmwaredesign/vmwares-first-accessibility-hackathon-32fc31d63219">an accessibility hackathon</a>. Five different countries, six different business units, and nine different products were represented.

Ten concepts were developed during the hackathon, including a walk assistant application for Blind/Low Vision; programming that opens doors with the twist or tap of your smartphone; and Intelligent Wheelchair Object Awareness.

The winning idea, opening doors with your phone, was integrated into our <a href="https://www.vmware.com/products/workspace-one/access.html">VMware Workspace One Access</a> product.

These hackathons have been a team-building triumph. We saw how passionately our employees feel about disability inclusion and received enormously positive feedback from staff who were grateful to be playing their part.

But VMware is doing plenty more: for example, we recently completed the roll-out of three largely accessible tools, Fusion, Workstation, and Player, with more to come.

In 2020, we launched a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c822RG-PyVc">Disability Power Of Difference (POD) community</a> which has since rolled out a series of awareness-building learning courses and partnered on our first-time submission to the Disability Equality Index.

These initiatives dovetail with our broader Equity and Trust commitments within our <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2030 Agenda</a>, which we hope will bring us very close to a truly representative workforce and, ultimately, strengthen our company.

In August this year, VMware joined the <a href="https://news.vmware.com/dei/valuable-500" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Valuable 500</a>, a global business collective that is igniting systemic change and unlocking the business, social and economic value of more than 1 billion people with disabilities around the world. Our CEO, Raghu Raghuram, committed to building disability inclusion into VMware’s leadership agenda.

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We are striving not to become complacent. Creating a more inclusive workplace for those with disabilities – and encouraging others to do the same – will require sustained effort and even greater integration of accessibility into our products, services, and culture. 

<a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html">DEI</a>, and particularly disability inclusion, must be integral to the way we in the tech sector move forward as an industry. As individuals, we can all play our part by learning more about disability as an aspect of diversity and deepening our understanding of disability inclusion. Because without disability-inclusive policies, no tech firm will be able to attract and retain the talent it needs to thrive in the years to come.

Learn more about how VMware is building a more sustainable, equitable and secure future.

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Finding innovative ways to support workers with disability is a proven means of achieving better business outcomes – and a cause your entire team can rally behind.

Prioritizing Workers with Disabilities is a Win‑Win for Tech Industry

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Re-Thinking Disability in Tech: How Workplace Inclusion Can Drive Growth - VMware News and Stories

Craig Dobson

PALO ALTO, Calif.–VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW) today announced the company has been invited to be a member of the 2021 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI), one of the world’s leading environmental, social and governance (ESG) benchmarks, for the second consecutive year.

VMware ranked in the 97th percentile in the Software & Services Industry category for its leadership in ESG and was ranked among the top six software companies in the indices.1

“ESG is at the heart of everything we do at VMware, and we hold ourselves accountable to our 2030 Agenda goals through transparent reporting on our progress,” said Nicola Acutt, vice president of ESG at VMware. “Being recognized—especially for the second year in a row—is a significant achievement, and we couldn’t be prouder of the results we’re starting to see. This reflects the work our teams drive every day and is an indicator of our commitment to ESG across the company as it involves numerous stakeholders, practices and policies.”

The DJSI are float-adjusted market capitalization weighted indices comprised of global, regional and country benchmarks that measure the performance of companies selected using ESG criteria. The Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America) apply a transparent, rules-based constituent selection process based on the companies’ S&P Global ESG Score resulting from the annual S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA). The CSA consists of a rigorous questionnaire assessing both public and non-public data submitted by participating companies. This year, more than 10,000 publicly traded companies were invited to participate in the S&P Global CSA.

VMware achieved high scores in key areas of business conduct, including information security, cybersecurity, human rights, labor practices, environmental reporting as well as corporate citizenship and philanthropy, among others.

“We congratulate VMware for being included in the DJSI World and DJSI North America,” said Manjit Jus, global head of ESG Research, S&P Global. “A DJSI distinction is a reflection of being a sustainability leader in your industry. The record number of companies participating in the 2021 <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/esg/csa/">S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment</a> is testament to the growing movement for ESG disclosure and transparency.”

VMware’s 2030 Agenda is a decade-long ESG commitment and call to action to foster a more sustainable, equitable and secure world. We are building a future in which our technology will make a positive impact on all our stakeholders: employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders, communities and our planet. Learn <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html">more</a> about ESG at VMware.

About S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P Dow Jones Indices (DJI) is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since Charles Dow invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets. S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit: www.spglobal.com/spdji.

VMware is a leading provider of multi-cloud services for all apps, enabling digital innovation with enterprise control. As a trusted foundation to accelerate innovation, VMware software gives businesses the flexibility and choice they need to build the future. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, VMware is committed to building a better future through the company’s 2030 Agenda. For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.vmware.com/company">www.vmware.com/company</a>.

Note: This article may contain hyperlinks to non-VMware websites that are created and maintained by third parties who are solely responsible for the content on such websites.

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1. <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/esg/csa/djsi-csa-annual-review">DJSI/CSA Annual Review 2021</a>.

VMware has been recognized for its ESG leadership with an invitation to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the second consecutive year.

We've been recognized for our ESG leadership with an invitation to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices.

VMware Recognized for ESG Leadership with Invitation to DJSI

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VMware Recognized for ESG Leadership - VMware News and Stories

VMware Recognized for ESG Leadership with Invitation to Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for 2nd Consecutive Year

We're proud to be one of the world’s top-performing companies in the #DJSI, a leading #ESG benchmark, for the second consecutive year. @spglobal #vmware2030 #CSA2021

As the world looks for ways to get more women interested in studying STEM, India’s young women act as a shining example to follow. In India, a country now widely recognized as the new Silicon Valley for technology investments, research, and development, more than 45% of STEM graduates are female. But while there is a large pool of talent in India, the career pipeline is leakier than it should be—in fact, 50% of women fall out of the workforce within eight years of university graduation and never return.

This missed opportunity struck VMware’s Duncan Hewett after he spoke with 250 women at a technology session in 2018 It became the catalyst for VMinclusion Taara—a free, self-paced training program to get female tech graduates in India back into the IT sector. Two years and almost 13,000 women enrolled, VMware’s Taara upskilling program has helped more than 2,000 women rejoin the workforce. It has become one of the most effective return-to-work programs in the country and has put a spotlight on providing women with the skills, confidence, and support to return to the IT sector in India.

VMware’s 2030 Agenda sets specific diversity, equity, and inclusion goals that are embedded in the way we do business. Taara is just one way we live out these goals. Studying the career journeys of just some of the Taara graduates, we’re able to uncover the many reasons that take Indian women out of the IT workforce, the barriers to re-entry they face, and how those barriers can be overcome to add their valuable skills back into India’s vibrant tech sector.

The <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-covid-19-has-pushed-companies-over-the-technology-tipping-point-and-transformed-business-forever">pace of digital acceleration</a> and the IT industry’s innovation makes it an exciting place to work. But a career break can mean that you will need to refresh your skills and even more important regain your confidence.

Taara graduate Anusha Subramanium had been part of the IT sector for six years before she put her career on hold to become a mother. Anusha says she understood how quickly IT skills could become dated and continued to upskill by earning an MBA. But when it came to applying for jobs to return to the workforce, she found this qualification didn’t represent the skills prospective employers wanted. Then she discovered Taara.

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Managing new commitments can make it difficult for women to find the time to upskill. After taking a break from her IT role to focus on her newborn, Taara graduate Sagarika Sahoo said she struggled to find time to reposition herself for employment.

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Sagarika completed Taara’s self-paced courses and said connecting with other women through Taara helped keep her motivated. She is now back at work with a leading technology organization.

Another graduate, Sharmila Vaithilinga, said she loved working in the technology sector after joining the industry straight after university. But she decided to take a break after relocating and starting a family. Although she continued to participate in upskilling programs, her break turned into an 11-year absence from the workforce that plagued her self-esteem.

Yet while skills and time are frequent barriers to re-entering the workforce, rebuilding confidence is what many participants find to be the most valuable part of the Taara program. And even though the demand for IT talent continues to surge, a new LinkedIn study has found working women in India are four times less confident that they’ll secure a role than their male counterparts.

VMinclusion Taara started with the idea that talent shouldn’t be wasted, as well as the value that all people, regardless of circumstance, should have an opportunity to re-enter the workforce. Now one of the largest upskilling programs in India, it has supported over 12,800 women and plays a valuable role in creating a more equitable future as part of VMware’s 2030 Agenda.

Taara graduates like Anusha, Sagarika, and Shamila are a testament to the program’s success and highlight the ability of programs like VMinclusion Taara to change women’s lives and bring diverse talent back to the tech industry.

See more inspiring stories in “<a href="https://www.vmware.com/taara/e-book" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A Galaxy of Stars</a>”, a new e-book highlighting the career journeys of VMinclusion Taara graduates.

As the world looks for ways to get more women interested in studying STEM, India’s young women act as a shining example to follow.

Upskilling Is the Answer to Closing Tech's Gender Gap

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Upskilling Is the Answer to Closing Tech's Gender Gap - VMware News and Stories

Pathways to Sustainable Clouds - VMware News and Stories

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Pathways to Sustainable Clouds

Meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations is a challenge that every company must face. At VMware, that includes making purchasing decisions that align to our <a href="https://news.vmware.com/company/vmwares-culture-built-epic2-values">EPIC2</a> values and <a href="http://www.vmware.com/company/esg">Environmental, Social and Governance</a> (ESG) strategy.

We must strike a balance to protect our many stakeholders, including our customers, shareholders, employees and the planet. We are all responsible for achieving VMware’s 2030 Agenda and ESG goals together, which is why VMware is excited to partner with suppliers in a way that builds a more sustainable, equitable and secure future for all.

We recognize the importance of promotional items to our brand engagement, for multiple groups including customers, partners and employees. We also recognize that there is potential for significant waste from these purchases. We need to be stewards of the brand while minimizing impact to the planet. We are excited to announce that moving forward, we will only purchase sustainable and responsibly sourced promotional merchandise.

Some of our guiding principles moving forward include: 

We define product categories as:

Today, the market for sustainable promotional items is growing rapidly but is still relatively small. We’re working with our suppliers to ensure that products are readily available. We are hopeful that the market will respond by embracing sustainability so that more companies choose this path. We must all embrace ESG and sustainability initiatives to ensure we do everything we can in the fight against climate change.  

For more information, contact <a href="mailto:responsiblesourcing@vmware.com">responsiblesourcing@vmware.com</a> to learn more and see how you can get involved.

1. Changing Markets Foundation. “Fossil Fashion: The hidden reliance of fast fashion on fossil fuels.” February 2021. 2. House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee. “Fixing Fashion: clothing consumption and sustainability.” February 5, 2019. 3. World Wildlife Fund. “The Impact of a Cotton T-Shirt.” January 16, 2013. 4. Chemical & Engineering News. “Cutting Out Textile Pollution.” Alex Scott. October 19, 2015. 5. United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Containers and Packaging: Product-Specific Data.” 6. Plastic Oceans International. “The Facts.” 7. United Nations. “The Sustainable Development Goals Report.” 2021. 8. United States Environmental Protection Agency. “National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling.” 9. Plastic Oceans International. “The Facts.”

VMware is excited to announce that we will only be purchasing sustainable and responsibly sourced promotional merchandise moving forward.

Read about our latest ESG commitment to purchase sustainable and responsibly sourced promotional merchandise.

Responsibly Sourcing Promotional Merchandise

Responsibly Sourcing Promotional Items - VMware News and Stories

Read about our latest #ESG commitment to purchase sustainable and responsibly sourced promotional merchandise. #VMware2030 #sustainability #responsiblesourcing

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